Sprint Planning & Estimation Flashcards

A Scrum team discovers mid-sprint that a committed story is far larger than estimated. What should happen?

Answer: Collaborate with the Product Owner to either split the story or negotiate scope within the sprint

When a story grows unexpectedly, the team and Product Owner collaborate to adjust scope, split the story, or reprioritize remaining work within the sprint.

What is 'cone of uncertainty' and how does it affect early sprint planning estimates?

Answer: The idea that estimates become more accurate as the project progresses and uncertainty decreases

The cone of uncertainty describes how estimates made early in a project carry wider ranges that narrow as requirements and technical details become clearer.

How many sprints should a team use to establish a reliable velocity baseline before making long-range release forecasts?

Answer: At least three to five sprints

Three to five sprints provide enough data to identify a meaningful velocity trend while avoiding over-reliance on very early, less stable data.

What is the risk of allowing the Product Owner to assign specific tasks to individual developers during sprint planning?

Answer: It undermines team self-organization and can reduce morale and commitment

Self-organizing teams perform better when they pull and own tasks themselves; external task assignment erodes ownership and accountability.

Which statement BEST describes the relationship between sprint planning and backlog refinement?

Answer: Backlog refinement prepares items in advance so that sprint planning can be efficient and focused

Refinement ensures backlog items are well-understood and estimated before sprint planning, preventing the meeting from getting bogged down in discovery.

When using story points, why do most agile teams avoid converting story points directly to hours for stakeholder reporting?

Answer: Story points measure relative complexity, not time; conversion introduces false precision and misaligns expectations

Converting points to hours implies a level of time-precision that relative estimates do not support and can mislead stakeholders about delivery predictability.

What is the significance of a 'stretch goal' in sprint planning, and how should it be treated?

Answer: A stretch goal is an optional item pulled into the sprint only if the team finishes committed work early

Stretch goals allow teams to take on additional value if capacity allows without jeopardizing the primary sprint commitment.